As Wales begin their preparations for the Euro 2016 qualifying campaign, Paul Abbandonato looks at the challenges facing Chris Coleman

With Wales
facing Iceland tonight at the Cardiff City Stadium in the first game in preparation for their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign, we look at the problems that may face manager Chris Coleman
on the road to France.

Wales
were drawn in Group B along with Bosnia-Hercegovina, Belgium, Israel, Cyprus and Andorra during the qualifying tournament draw in Nice on February 23.

Overall there are eight groups of six and one group of five with 24-nations competing in the finals in France in 2016 with Wales, possessing the likes of Real Madrid's Gareth Bale
and Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey
, having a real shot at qualifying for their first major tournament since 1958.

1. Find A Goalscoring Centre-Forward:
Goals win matches, but Wales
haven’t settled on a proper target-man since John Hartson finished in 2005 after scoring 14 times in 51 internationals.

To be truthful, Wales
are no nearer resolving the striking dilemma today than they were when John Toshack first brought through the likes of Sam Vokes and Ched Evans many years ago

I’ve argued for some time that Chris Coleman
should have experimented with Hal Robson-Kanu in the role, the Reading man possessing pace, presence and goal threat.

But Coleman
hasn’t embarked down that route and time is running out before the Euro 2016 qualifiers begin this autumn.

The manager has talked of Gareth Bale
as a ‘false nine’, similar to the role Lionel Messi plays with Barcelona, but our talisman wouldn’t be on the ball often enough.

Vokes, big, strong and robust, has banged in 18 goals as Burnley seek promotion to the Premier League
. He’s also hit five in 30 games for Wales
, a lot of those as a substitute, so perhaps Coleman
has to give Vokes his head... and just hope he delivers the goals that deliver the Euro dream.

2. Sort Out James Collins:
After the need for a striker who can score at international level, this is the most pressing requirement for Coleman
.

While goals win matches, letting them in at the other end of the field means you will lose and Collins’ problems with his manager have been well documented.

The spat, it appears, is behind them and that has to be good news heading towards the Euros.

I’ve seen Collins have some howlers with his country, but I’ve also seen him display defensive resilience which has been the foundation behind decent Wales
results. Against good opposition, too, in the shape of Germany, Belgium and the Czech Republic.

If Collins plays and is on top of his game, then the solidity that offers Wales
cannot be over-stated enough. Others who have stood in for him as Ashley Williams’ centre-back partner aren’t as good.

Previously, the chemistry between Collins and Williams never seemed right. But if Coleman
can get the towering West Ham man to consistently produce his best, and Williams leads by example as skipper, Wales
will qualify. I’m that confident.

3. Be Upbeat About Our Prospects:
International managers have to be diplomats. Thus Coleman
cautiously stated ‘It’s a tough draw, there are no easy games’ as Wales
were paired with Bosnia, Belgium, Israel, Cyprus and Andorra in Euro 2016 qualifying Group B.

But the truth is it’s a dream group for Wales
and I hope, in private at least, Coleman
is telling the dressing room: ‘We couldn’t have asked for a much kinder draw, this is our moment, go out and seize it.’

Belgium were the worst side we could have pulled from the second pot of seeds, but Bosnia are a darned sight more beatable as top seeds than Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Russia or England would have been.

Give me Israel any day too as third seeds ahead of Turkey, Romania, Poland or Serbia, who we could have pulled.

Forget third spot and the play-offs. Wales have the talent to finish second in this group behind Belgium.

It’s up to the manager to instil that belief.

4. Wrap Bale/Ramsey In Cotton Wool:
This is out of Coleman
’s control, to a degree, because what happens at Real Madrid and Arsenal is the key.

But certainly when they are with Wales
, Bale
and Ramsey
need training schedules which ensure they are as fit and firing as possible come match day.

Coleman
stated after the Euro draw that if he had his best XI on the field, Wales
‘are capable of beating anyone.’ What he really meant, of course, was that if Bale
and Ramsey
are available, Wales
are are capable of beating anyone.

Bale
would walk into any team in the world, Ramsey
most of them. If either are missing, Wales
sorely notice it. Ultimately, the availability of our star duo for 10 qualifiers is the real key to our dream of being at France 2016.

5. Don't Put Bale Up Top:Coleman
has spoken before of utilising our match-winning talent in a Messi-type false nine role.

Bale
performed that function for the second-half of the qualifier in Croatia last time out, Coleman
arguing the threat of his blinding pace forced the home defence back, enabling the Welsh midfield to be on the front foot.

But Wales
still lost the game, remember. Playing Bale
up top on his own does have its merits, but the danger is he would be starved of service and not as effective as when he is playing deeper ... when the first port of call for the Welsh players is ‘get the ball to the world’s most expensive footballer’.

6. Put Bellamy On Alert:
Craig Bellamy has quit international football to focus on Cardiff City, but there will be times during the looming campaign when Wales
will be decimated by injuries.

How do I know that? Because it always happens, that’s why.

Coleman
could do a lot worse than have a private chat with Bellamy to ask him if he would be prepared to answer a Wales
emergency.

Bellamy played damn well in his last two games against Belgium and Macedonia and has the footballing know-how and passing ability to make the most of the younger legs around him.

They could do the endless running he himself used to do.

Bellamy’s Wales
passion burns so deep I don’t believe he would turn down a Coleman
request in a crisis.

7. Sort Out First Choice Full-Backs:Wales
have never had it so good in terms of strength in depth in these positions, but Coleman
has a decision to make on who is the first choice.

Chris Gunter or Adam Matthews as right-back?

Ben Davies or Neil Taylor as left-back?

Or is former Wrexham
defender Taylor an option on the right, the role he fulfilled so effectively for Stuart Pearce’s Team GB in the Olympics?

8. Stop Putting Square Pegs In Round Holes:
Midfield is the strength of this Welsh team, so it’s understandable Coleman
tries to get as many of his midfielders in the starting X1 as possible.

But this has meant the likes of Joe Ledley, Jack Collison and Andy King being stuck out on the wing, which suits none of them.

Square pegs in round holes works when you are as great a player as Mark Hughes, who played under Terry Yorath in central midfield to enable Ian Rush and Dean Saunders to be chosen up front.

But Ledley, Collison and King would be the first to admit they lack the pace required to whizz past full-backs.

Let them battle it out for the central positions, where their strengths would be better utilised, and pick Bale
and one of Robson-Kanu or Jonny Williams on the flank.

9. Enhance Backroom Team:
An old bugbear of mine, I know, but I still believe Coleman
needs a world-class coach to work with Gareth Bale
, Aaron Ramsey
and the rest of this gifted Welsh team to get the best out of them.

Osian Roberts and Kit Symons would still have roles to play, but Coleman
’s cause would be helped by an authoritative and experienced figure next to him during the campaign.

10. Make Wayne No.1:
Wayne Hennessey isn’t first choice for Crystal Palace, with Julian Speroni getting the Tony Pulis nod, but he does need to be chosen ahead of Boaz Myhill for Wales
.

Hennessey has never let Wales
down. He may be one of those footballers who actually performs better for his country than club.

11. Hit The Ground Running:Wales
finished the last campaign well under Coleman
, with a draw in Belgium and a home victory over Macedonia. But they also finished qualifying groups strongly under former managers Gary Speed
and John Toshack.

What they have to do this time around is hit the ground running with a comfortable win in Andorra plus at least four points out of six from home fixtures next against Bosnia and Cyprus.

Seven points out of nine would be a welcome base from which to go at the rest of the group.

12. Avoid Silly Suspensions:
With Andorra first up, Wales
have to avoid any needless bookings which could come back to haunt them as the campaign goes on.

The last thing we want is a player yellow-carded in Andorra for back-chat or kicking the ball away, then getting a second booking in a tougher match and being suspended from a key fixture as a result.

13. Arrange Another Game:
After Iceland tonight, Wales
only have a fixture with the Dutch pencilled in this summer before the Euros begin.

This Wales
team is still a work in progress. Our qualifying prospects would be boosted by the FAW organising another friendly match, whether home or away, just before the June 4 clash in Amsterdam, so Coleman
can further bed in his plans.

14. Win Over Welsh Public:
Rightly or wrongly, there are a lot of Welsh fans underwhelmed by the re-appointment of Coleman
as manager.

Ryan Giggs
was the peoples’ choice, while the possibility of Bellamy as boss enthused some, but Coleman
it is.

The best way he can win over the doubters is by winning the matches that matter.

15. Don't Forget Your Passport:
A little tongue in cheek, this one, but Wales
’ cause ahead of their game in Macedonia wasn’t helped by the hoo-hah caused by the manager not being able to travel with his team. Wales
lost the game.

16. And Finally....Beat Iceland Tonight:
With Warren Gatland
’s Six Nations
aces meeting England and Cardiff City clashing with Fulham, tonight’s friendly is way down the list in terms of the week’s most significant sporting events. No qualifying points are at stake, but there’s nothing like momentum in international sport.

Wales
can build on their splendid draw in Belgium last time out by defeating Iceland and boosting confidence and morale as the Euros draw closer.

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The Editor

Mark Thomas

Liverpool-born Mark joined the Daily Post in January 2014 after seven years as editor of its Merseyside sister title the Liverpool Post. He started out as a weekly news reporter on Wirral Newspapers, and spent seven years at the Daily Post and Liverpool Echo. He was The Press Association's regional correspondent for North Wales, Merseyside and Cheshire from 1983 to 1997, before returning to the ECHO as deputy news editor. He has won a number of journalism awards, including the UK Press Gazzette Regional Reporter of the Year award, and in 1993 wrote a book on the James Bulger murder.